Opportunity Information: Apply for 21 627
The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), is soliciting grant proposals under the opportunity titled "Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods" (Funding Opportunity Number 21-627; CFDA 47.075). NCSES is a federal statistical agency charged with collecting, analyzing, and publishing objective statistics about the science and technology (S&T) enterprise in the United States and internationally. The data NCSES produces supports researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and the general public, and it underpins major recurring publications such as Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and the National Science Board's biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report.
The core purpose of this program is to strengthen the research and methodological foundation behind how S&T statistics are produced, interpreted, and communicated. NCSES is looking to expand analytic and methodological research that can directly support its survey portfolio and improve the broader evidence base used to understand S&T inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. A second major emphasis is workforce development in the S&T statistics ecosystem: the program explicitly aims to promote education and training for researchers who use large-scale, nationally representative datasets, including NCSES data and other relevant sources.
The scope of supported work is broad, but it clusters around several themes. One theme is substantive research on the S&T enterprise using NCSES datasets or other credible data sources, aimed at producing insights that matter for science policy and for understanding the composition and performance of the S&T system. Another theme is survey and statistical methodology, including development and testing of improved approaches that could benefit NCSES surveys (for example, better measurement strategies, questionnaire design, sampling approaches, nonresponse adjustment, linkage techniques, small-area estimation, or other methods that improve data quality and usability). NCSES also encourages exploration of alternative or complementary data sources that could supplement official statistics, including the possibility of integrating administrative records, other government datasets, or emerging data streams where appropriate. In addition, the opportunity welcomes work to create new indicators or improve existing ones that summarize S&T resources and activities, as well as research that strengthens analytic methods for working with S&T statistical data (including issues like comparability across time, across countries, and across fields). Finally, the program explicitly invites innovative dissemination and communication approaches that make S&T statistics more understandable and useful to varied audiences, which can include new formats, tools, or methods for presenting indicators and findings.
NCSES is open to multiple project types and formats rather than limiting applicants to a single model. The solicitation allows proposals for individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, experimental research, survey research and data collection efforts, and dissemination-focused projects. This range signals that NCSES is not only interested in publishing findings, but also in building infrastructure for better measurement, convening communities to develop shared approaches, training new researchers, and translating statistical outputs into accessible products that increase real-world use.
Administrative details included in the listing describe it as a discretionary grant program in the science and technology and other R&D category, administered by NSF. The expected number of awards is listed as 10. The award ceiling is shown as 0, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified in this listing and applicants should rely on the full solicitation or NSF guidance for budget expectations and constraints. The original closing date shown is January 18, 2022, with a creation date of September 28, 2021, so anyone looking to apply now would need to check NSF/NCSES for the most current version of the opportunity, any successor solicitation, and current deadlines and submission requirements. Eligibility is labeled broadly as "Others" with a note to consult the additional eligibility information in the full text, meaning eligibility may extend beyond a single institution type but should be verified in the official solicitation.
Overall, this opportunity is designed for researchers and methodologists who want to improve the measurement and understanding of the S&T enterprise, either by producing new analyses using major S&T datasets, by advancing the statistical and survey methods used to generate those datasets, by developing stronger indicators, by testing new data sources that can complement traditional surveys, or by improving how S&T statistics are communicated and taught.Apply for 21 627
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.075.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 28, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 18, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NSF funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research on the Science and Technology Enterprise: Indicators, Statistics, and Methods."
Which NSF unit is running this program?
The program is run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES).
What are the identifying numbers for this opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 21-627 and the CFDA number listed is 47.075.
What is NCSES and what does it do?
NCSES is a federal statistical agency charged with collecting, analyzing, and publishing objective statistics about the science and technology (S&T) enterprise in the United States and internationally.
Why does NCSES fund research under this solicitation?
The core purpose is to strengthen the research and methodological foundation behind how S&T statistics are produced, interpreted, and communicated, including work that can directly support the NCSES survey portfolio and improve the broader evidence base on S&T inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes.
How does this program relate to major NCSES/NSB publications?
NCSES data underpins recurring publications such as Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and the National Science Board's biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report.
What main research areas does the solicitation support?
The scope is broad but clusters around: (1) substantive research on the S&T enterprise using NCSES datasets or other credible data sources; (2) survey and statistical methodology improvements; (3) exploration of alternative or complementary data sources (including administrative records or other government datasets where appropriate); (4) creation of new indicators or improvements to existing indicators; (5) analytic methods addressing issues like comparability across time, countries, and fields; and (6) innovative dissemination and communication approaches for S&T statistics.
Does the program require using NCSES data?
The solicitation supports work using NCSES datasets and also mentions using other credible data sources. It also encourages exploring alternative or complementary sources that could supplement official statistics.
What kinds of methodological topics are explicitly mentioned?
Examples include improved measurement strategies, questionnaire design, sampling approaches, nonresponse adjustment, linkage techniques, small-area estimation, and other methods that improve data quality and usability for NCSES surveys.
Can projects focus on integrating data sources beyond traditional surveys?
Yes. The opportunity encourages exploration of alternative or complementary data sources, including the possibility of integrating administrative records, other government datasets, or emerging data streams where appropriate.
What does the solicitation mean by "indicators"?
It explicitly welcomes work to create new indicators or improve existing ones that summarize S&T resources and activities, along with related analytic methods that strengthen how such indicators are developed and interpreted.
Are dissemination and communication projects eligible?
Yes. The program explicitly invites innovative dissemination and communication approaches that make S&T statistics more understandable and useful to varied audiences, including new formats, tools, or methods for presenting indicators and findings.
What project formats or proposal types are allowed?
The solicitation allows multiple formats, including individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, experimental research, survey research and data collection efforts, and dissemination-focused projects.
Is this program only about publishing research results?
No. The description signals interest not only in findings, but also in building infrastructure for better measurement, convening communities to develop shared approaches, training new researchers, and translating statistical outputs into accessible products that increase real-world use.
Is workforce development part of the program?
Yes. A major emphasis is education and training for researchers who use large-scale, nationally representative datasets, including NCSES data and other relevant sources.
Who is the intended audience for the supported work?
NCSES statistics support researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and the general public, and the solicitation encourages approaches that improve usefulness and understanding for varied audiences.
How many awards does the listing say NSF expects to make?
The expected number of awards is listed as 10.
Is there an award ceiling?
The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the listing, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified there; applicants are directed to rely on the full solicitation or NSF guidance for budget expectations and constraints.
What is the closing date shown in the listing?
The original closing date shown is January 18, 2022.
What should applicants do about deadlines given the listed closing date?
Because the closing date shown is in 2022, anyone looking to apply now would need to check NSF/NCSES for the most current version of the opportunity, any successor solicitation, and current deadlines and submission requirements.
When was this opportunity created, according to the listing?
The creation date shown is September 28, 2021.
What does the listing say about eligibility?
Eligibility is labeled broadly as "Others" with a note to consult the additional eligibility information in the full text, meaning eligibility may extend beyond a single institution type but should be verified in the official solicitation.
What federal agency administers this grant program?
It is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a discretionary grant program.
What general category is this program listed under?
The listing describes it in the science and technology and other R&D category.
What kinds of outcomes or impacts is NCSES aiming for through this program?
The description emphasizes improving how S&T statistics are produced and used: better methods and measurement, stronger indicators, improved evidence for understanding S&T inputs/activities/outputs/outcomes, expanded training capacity for researchers using large-scale data, and improved communication and dissemination that increases real-world use of S&T statistics.
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